A person undergoing chemotherapy is bound to loose hair all over the body, not just the hair on the head. It is one of the most common side effects of the treatment.
The chances of hair falling out depend on the type of medication and the dosage administered to the patient; it may cause thinning of the hair, or it may lead to complete hair loss. The drugs administered are very powerful drugs that are indiscriminant in attacking the cells in the body. They kill cancer cells along with some healthy cells, so the hair roots are also affected. The effects of chemotherapy are not limited to scalp alone, as the drugs may cause hair from the eyelashes, eyebrows, armpits, pubic region, and other parts of the body to fall off. Hair loss will progress as you receive treatment and will fall out completely.
Hair normally starts falling out around 10 to 14 days into the chemo treatment. Hair loss could be gradual, or it could fall out in large bunches. You will notice clumps lying on the pillow, left in the hairbrush, or stuck in your shower drain. It becomes noticeable to other people when about 50 percent has fallen out.
Do not worry, though; the hair loss is not permanent. Hair will start growing back about 4 to 6 weeks into recovery, and you can expect that it will all grow back in about 6 months to a year after the treatment.
When hair starts to grow back, your hair might have a different texture or color; the texture may be curlier, and the color maybe grayish. These changes are temporary as well. Everything will go back to normal once the cells have fully healed from the effects of the chemotherapy.
No chemotherapy guarantees that hair loss will not happen during or after the treatment. The only thing you can do is to prepare for the discomfort of baldness. Some of the things you can do are cut your hair short or completely shave it off once hair starts to fall out; purchase a wig before your hair starts to fall out to allow the hair stylist the best option. Insurance companies offer to pay for wigs as part of the policy; and caps and scarves are useful to hide the hair loss.
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